


Panic! At the Disco - Random Reader Inserts

by Sunset_In_My_Veins



Category: Panic! at the Disco
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-05-23 04:33:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14927208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunset_In_My_Veins/pseuds/Sunset_In_My_Veins
Summary: Random stuff I have written about Panic! At the Disco that is more or less a reader insert sorta thing. Each chapter is it's own standalone story.





	1. Who Could Ask for Anymore? - Spencer Smith

“Road trip?” Brendon asked as he switched his amp off.  
“Huh?” She mumbled as she looked up at him from her phone.  
“Did you wanna go on a road trip? This weekend?” He offered again.  
“That’s a bit sudden?” She questioned with a raised eyebrow.  
“Well, I feel like we could both use one, and I know you’re free this weekend. Stuff has been stressful lately and it would be nice to get out of the studio. I can invite the band, you can invite some friends. It’ll be fun. We could go to the Grand Canyon or something for the weekend.” He explained as he continued rolling up the cord for his guitar.   
“That’s not exactly next door.” She pointed out as she swung her feet from her stool.   
“No but it’s close enough. We’ll take shifts driving through the night and have at least a full day there. I’m sure I can get Pete to loan me a tour bus or something for the weekend.”   
“You’ve really thought this out, huh?” She asked, slightly surprised by the sudden enthusiasm. Brendon was not normally the organised type.   
“A little. I can even invite Spence for you.” He winked. It all suddenly became clear as to why he was so keen on a trip into the middle of nowhere in a confined space.  
“Yes, he would be included in ‘the band’, Bren.” She said sarcastically as she tried to hide her embarrassment.   
“I know you’re into him.” He added casually as he slipped his guitar into its case. She glared at the back of his head, trying to think of a way around admitting it. She’d managed to get this far without anyone knowing, but clearly, she hadn’t been hiding it as well as she had thought. She eventually resigned herself to defeat.  
“Then why are you the worst wingman ever?” She huffed.   
“I try to remain objective.” He grinned as he picked up the case. “C’mon.” He said as he walked out the door. She followed closely behind, stuffing her hands in her hoodie. They walked in silence until they reached the trunk of his car. She mulled over her options: road trip with friends, albeit a potentially awkward one, or sit alone at home all weekend because all of her friends were on a road trip without her.   
“A road trip might be fun.” She said quietly as he loaded in the guitar.   
He looked at her with a hopeful smile. “Really?” She met his excited gaze, letting out a deep sigh before giving him a firm nod. “Great! I’ll organise the bus.” 

* * *

Her backpack landed with a thud on the couch as she looked around the tour bus. It was a pretty run-down vehicle, Brendon had told her that the record company didn’t use it anymore. But it still functioned. It had a small living area, beds, and it drove fine. It lacked any form of kitchen utilities, or working ones anyway, but they had already planned food stops. She heard footsteps ascending the steps up into the bus behind her and spun around to see Jon.  
“Oh, hey!” She said with a smile.  
“Hey!” He grinned as he pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you suggested this to Brendon. We’ve been suffocating in that studio this week.”   
“Huh?” She frowned at the taller man in confusion as he moved back from the hug.   
“He told us that you suggested the trip?”  
“Ah, did he just?” She asked with an eyebrow raised.   
“Did you not..?” He asked hesitantly.  
“It was a joint effort.” She lied. “But it’ll be fun! My friend is meant to be here soon. Where’s the rest of your lot?” She asked, trying her best to seem casual.   
“They’re on their way. Ryan was taking a while to pack and he was meant to be bringing Spencer. I don’t know where Brendon is but he said he’d be on time.” He answered as he flopped onto the couch. “I brought a deck of cards. Want a quick game?” He asked as he pulled the pack out of his pocket and began shuffling.  
“Sure.” She smiled as she sat down next to him. 

They played cards for the next while until the others slowly started filing into the bus. Her friend, Helen, came first, and decided to spend a while sorting through her things at the back of the bus to make sure she had brought everything. Brendon arrived shortly after, and a devious smirk spread across his face as he entered the bus. “Spencer not here yet?” He asked in a horrible attempt at a casual tone as he glanced around. She felt her shoulders tense up slightly at the question, but tried to avoid giving him a reaction.  
“Ryan was taking ages last I spoke to them.” Jon answered without looking up from his cards, clearly lost in thought at his next move.  
“Hopefully he’ll be here soon, eh?” He winked as he dumped his bag at the back of the bus and wandered into the front. He took it upon himself that he was going to take the first driving shift and busied himself with making sure that everything was in working order.   
“Your turn.” Jon muttered as he grimaced at his own cards.   
“Your poker face is terrible, Jon.” She laughed.   
“Shut up and take your turn.” He grumbled. 

By the end of the game everyone was sitting in the lounge area, and not long after they had thrown in their cards, raised voices could be heard from outside.  
“I told you that was the wrong way!”   
“You did not! You said to go left!”   
“And you went right!”   
“Well you should have specified what turn you were talking about.” Ryan frowned as he pushed his way into the bus. “Hi guys.” He said quietly as he quickly made his way to the back of the bus. Spencer wandered on shortly after, letting out a frustrated sigh before smiling.  
“Sorry we’re late.” He sat down on the floor in front of everyone. “Have I missed much? What are we playing?” He asked as he nodded to the stack of cards on the empty couch seat.   
“You’ve missed nothing!” Brendon announced as he stood up. “Let’s set out some ground rules before we set off.” Everyone nodded in agreement as Ryan came back out to the lounge, leaning against the doorway separating the front of the bus and the back. Spencer spun around on the floor and leaned back against the base of the couch. She could feel his shoulder leaning slightly against her knee and tried her best not to think about it. Despite her best efforts, Brendon instantly saw and shot her a knowing smirk before continuing. 

“Firstly; we’re gonna have a buddy system for driving. One person drives and the other keeps the driver company so that nobody falls asleep at the wheel, because we will have to drive through the night to make it on time. Secondly, we should arrive at about midday tomorrow if we keep to a tight schedule. I hope everyone brought snacks but we can pull over for toilet breaks and major meals. Third and finally; there are four single bunks and one double bed, because whatever band had this bus before us apparently liked to do some… interesting things on tour.” He chuckled. Ryan let out a quiet ‘gross’ under his breath. She felt her face flush and suddenly realised why Brendon was all too keen to organise transport for the trip. He’d pulled Pete in on his damn plan too. “Long story short two people will have to agree to bunk together.”   
“I’ve already unloaded my stuff into a bunk.” Ryan replied with a lazy shrug.   
“Same.” He friend piped up as she raised her hand.   
“Well…” Jon started as he scratched the back of his neck nervously.  
“I’ll share with someone.” Spencer answered. “Anyone except Bren, anyway. I’ve heard your stories and I’d rather not be trapped in the same bed with you.” He laughed. Brendon answered with a loud laugh.   
“I think our beards would get knotted together.” Jon tried to joke, doing his best to seem casual about not wanting to share. “And Cas might get a little jealous”  
“As she should, what with how irresistible I clearly am. I guess it’s us, huh?” Spencer asked as he nudged her knee with his shoulder. He looked up at her with a smile.   
“Guess it is.” She gave an anxious smile back, before looking up to see Brendon giving her a sly look.   
“So, let’s hit the road! I’ll be on first driving shift. Does anyone want to buddy with me?”   
“I will.” She volunteered with a glare as she stood up quickly, nearly knocking Spencer over in the process. 

Everyone settled into the bus before they took off, Brendon taking the driver’s seat. She sat down in the passenger seat next to him before punching him in the shoulder.   
“Why would you do that?” She hissed under her breath.  
“Ow.” He pouted as he rubbed his shoulder. “I’m just trying to… provide you with an opportunity.” He answered.   
“You’re just providing me with the perfect opportunity to be the awkward shit that I am.” She mumbled as she crossed her arms, slouching in her seat.   
“You know that he won’t mind. You’ve known him almost as long as I have. Spence is a nice guy, he’d never hold that sort of thing against you. And I’m pretty sure you’re blind to all the hints he’s dropping.” He chuckled quietly.   
“You could’ve just asked him for me.”   
“That’s so highschool.” He rolled his eyes. “Just see what happens. You’ll be sharing a bed, you’ll know by the end of the weekend.”   
“Assuming we even talk.”   
“You’ll talk. You never shut up.” He grinned. She shoved him hard in the ribs. “Ow! Stop hurting the driver!”   
“Break it up you two!” Jon shouted from the lounge.   
“Why are you one of my best friends?” She sighed as she began fiddling with the radio.  
“You love me.” He laughed. 

* * *

He drove for a few hours, eventually the air cleared between them and their friendship returned to its usual joking nature. When dusk started clearing into the early night he found himself yawning.   
“Should we call it?” He asked as he rubbed his eyes. She nodded in response as he began pulling to the side of the road. When they’d come to a stop they unbuckled their belts and wandered back into the lounge. The rest of the road trip crew were sitting on the floor playing a board game. “Who’s up next?”   
“I’ll drive.” Ryan volunteered. “I’m a bit of a night owl anyways.”   
“I’ll offer for company?” Helen suggested as she stood up.  
“Sure.” He shrugged as they walked into the cab of the bus.   
“Well I might adjourn for the night.” Brendon said as he stretched his arm above his head.   
“That’s why you took the first shift isn’t it? So that you could sleep through the night?” Jon asked as he narrowed his eyes at the singer.   
“It’s not my fault I was the only one planning ahead.” Brendon mused as he walked down towards the bunks. “Enjoy your night everyone! See you in the morning.”   
“He’s smarter than most people think.” Spencer laughed. She shook her head in the direction of her friend before joining the two men on the floor.  
“What are we playing?” She asked as they began setting up the board again. 

* * *

“No, no, no! That’s not what I said!” Jon laughed as he leaned back into the couch, his foot brushing against the board game on the floor that had long since been abandoned.   
“I’m pretty sure that you just said you kept a pair of panties that were thrown on stage!” Spencer reminded his friend as a grin spread across his face. She found herself trying to supress her own laughter.   
“I said that I took them backstage, to throw them out!” He defended as he held his hands up.   
“Can anyone verify that, Jon?” He smirked.   
“Hey, it’s not my fault that none of them ever reach the drumkit.” Jon shot back with a raised eyebrow.   
“I’m pretty content without the used underwear from fans, thanks.” He chuckled as he leaned forward onto his knees. “I think it’s getting pretty late.” He sighed as he checked his watch. “I might hit the sack.”   
“I should probably go see if Ryan wants a break.” Jon said as he stood up and walked to the drivers’ area.   
“I uh… I guess I might go to bed too then.” She said nervously as she sat up on the couch.  
“You don’t have to go just because I am. You won’t wake me up if you come in later.” Spencer assured as he met her gaze.   
“No, it’s all right. What am I gonna do out here anyway if everyone else is either driving or sleeping?” She reasoned, trying her best to not show how awkward she was feeling. He gave a short laugh before standing up.   
“After you, then.” He said with a gesture to the back of the bus. 

She walked through the corridor lined with singles bunks to the small door at the back. It opened to reveal… a fairly cramped room, even for a tour bus. There was a window at the very back above the double bed that faced the road behind them and the other two sides of the bed were directly against the wall. There was a bit of space at the foot of the bed for bags but mostly, the room was just bed.   
“I’ll let you get changed.” She heard him say as he shut the door. She let out a shaky sigh as she looked around the room. It wasn’t exactly much space. Not much space at all for two friends to be sharing, clearly the larger bed had been all that was required. By the time she had changed and put her things back in her bag she heard a soft tapping at the door. “Good?” She heard his voice call through the thin piece of wood.  
“Yeah, good.” She nodded as she went to sit at the head of the bed, leaning back against the wall. She drew he knees up to her chest, hoping maybe she could curl into a ball tight enough to disappear from this dimension and not have to deal with this. He gave a small smile as he walked back in. It was instantly clear things were awkward, or at least that’s how both people in the room felt anyway. She sat staring at her knees, trying her best to not overthink things as he quickly changed his shirt.   
“Cool for the lights to be off?” He asked as he leaned forward from the foot of the bed towards the switch. She wanted to make a sarcastic joke about how ‘that is the way most people sleep, yes’ but instead it just came out as a nod. She moved under the blankets, suddenly thankfully for the darkness to hide her blush as she felt him climb under as well. The room seemed dark at first, but as their eyes adjusted the street lights they passed regularly illuminated the small space. She could see the slightest hint of a starry sky above them, but as quickly as her eyes focused on it another light swept through the room and her eyes had to correct themselves all over again. 

They laid there in silence for a few minutes, watching as every four seconds they passed another street light. Spencer let out an agitated sigh. Voices could be heard very faintly at the front of the bus, and eventually she heard someone return to their bunk, though she couldn’t be sure who. 1… 2… 3… Light… 1… 2…  
“This is awkward, right?” He asked. She moved her head to look at him, seeing him staring back at her.   
“Yep.” She answered with a firm nod as she looked back at the window.   
“I, uh… I’m glad you suggested the trip to Brendon. It was a good idea. We’ve been at each other’s throats lately trying to record the new album so the break will be nice. Even though I guess we’re in an even more confined space now than we were before.” He added as he ran a hand through his hair.   
“I didn’t suggest it to Brendon.” She admitted.   
“You didn’t? He told us it was your idea.” She could hear the frown in his voice without even having to look.   
“It was definitely his idea. He kind of conned me into tagging along.”   
“Oh... Really? Sounds like we might have had… similar conversations with him.”   
She took in a shaky breath before finally deciding maybe things would be less awkward if he knew. At least then if he didn’t feel the same way back they could move into single bunks or something and not have to be in such a confined space with each other. “His bargaining chip for getting me to come along was… you.” She confessed, instantly feeling like shrinking into the blanket so she didn’t have to deal with the aftermath of this. The time he was taking to reply only made the atmosphere even more awkward. 2… 3… light… 1… 2… 3… 

“I… wait…” Spencer stumbled, trying to make sense of his racing mind. “Did we have the same conversation with him?” He asked in confusion. She laid there in silence, unsure what to say to that. He brought his hand to her shoulder, making her face him. “He got me to come because he said that given you organised it, you’d definitely be here.” Her eyes widened at his words.  
“So… you? Hold on… We did have the same conversation with him?” She said as she rolled over to fully face him. They looked at each other for a moment before they both burst out laughing. “How long?” She asked, a smile playing on her lips.  
“Too long. You?”   
“Longer than I can remember.”   
“Man, if I had’ve known…” He muttered, letting the now comfortable silence hang in the air between them. A smile crept across his face as he reached out and put a strand of her hair behind her ear, eyes suddenly brighter than they were a few minutes ago. As his hand brushed across her cheek she tried her best not to show the effect it had, but instead just ended up laughing. An idea suddenly struck her.

“Hold up, so… Has Bren known all this time that you’ve been into me?” She asked.  
“Uh… mostly, yeah. I was really distracted once during practice and he got it out of me.” He chuckled at the memory.   
“Well, he’s known about me for god knows how long but I only admitted it the other day. He’s sat there knowing we’re both into each other and not saying anything. He conned us both into coming this weekend under the pretence of the other being here, and let us just be awkward instead of telling us.” She rattled off. Spencer nodded in response. “I’m thinking… maybe we shouldn’t tell him that we know?”   
He scratched his beard thoughtfully. “Why?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.  
“Well, if he’s spent who knows how long not saying anything but then decided to do this impromptu road trip, clearly he’s sick of seeing us fumble about. He said to me that he was pretty sure by the end of this weekend he expected things between us to be out in the open. So, what if we pretend that this didn’t happen? And let him stew in defeat that his match making didn’t work?”   
“Oooo… he hates defeat.” He said with a devious tone. “Are you sure? I think that would drive him crazy.”  
“Good.” 

* * *

Ryan and Jon tried to keep their singing to a minimum, but it was hard when the 3am radio stations kept playing their favourite songs. Ryan had never been great at sleeping, so he was happy to drive through the night and was glad to have one of his best friends as company. As another fantastic duet between the two ended, their quiet laughter filled the cab of the bus.   
“So… I’m pretty sure that Brendon was actually the one who organised this trip.” Jon noted as he cracked his passenger window to get some fresh air.   
“What makes you say that?” Ryan asked as he flicked over to a new station.  
“He lied when he told us it wasn’t his idea.” He answered.   
“Did he just? Why would he lie about that?” The younger man hummed as he thought over this new information. “Do you think he..? No…”  
“Is he that smart?”   
“I mean Spence does talk about her a lot.”   
“And we’ve been trying to get them alone together for a few months now.”   
“That scoundrel.” Ryan laughed. “Oh no, but what if it works…” He added as his face suddenly fell.  
“What do you mean?” Jon asked as he turned his attention to the driver.  
“The walls on this bus aren’t exactly sound proof… He’s trapped us all here with them!”   
“The bastard!” 

* * *

Their alarms woke them up at around dawn so that they could take their driving shift. Both were extremely groggy and they gazed at each other for a moment, trying to remember the events of last night. Spencer stared back at her sleepily, a lazy smile playing on his lips. “This may very well be the best morning ever.” He said, his voice deep from sleep. She blushed deeply, burying her head into her pillow. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest. “Sorry.” He said quietly.  
“Don’t be.” She mumbled. “It’s just… all still very new.”   
Het let out a content sigh. “Trust me, I know.” He rubbed his hand up and down her back lightly. They laid there in silence for a few minutes. “We could just make out now to get it out of the way? It might make things less awkward?” He offered. She laughed loudly.   
“How romantic, Spence.” She said with a roll of her eyes, shuffling back out of his grip.   
“It was only a suggestion.” He shrugged with a smirk.   
“A bad one. I don’t even wanna kiss you anyway.” She huffed with feigned annoyance as she looked away from him.   
“You don’t?” He moved his hand from her waist to her cheek, and she turned to meet his gaze.   
“Nope.” Her voice cracked ever so slightly.   
“Good.” He shot back, moving slightly closer to her. His eyes looked darker than what they had been a moment ago.  
“Good.” She repeated, feeling their breath mingling. He closed the distance between them, their lips crashing together and instantly they both felt the room warm up by a few degrees. The feeling shot straight through her. He moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck, earning a shuddery breath from her in response that ended up lost in the kiss. His stubble rubbed against her chin as she moved her hand to his chest. They moved apart, both breathing heavily. She swallowed hard and he looked back at her, pupils blown. “That… uh…” She stuttered.  
“Yeah… it, um…” He tried to agree. “We should maybe get out of bed and take our shift at the wheel.” He changed topics anxiously.   
“Sounds good.” She nodded. They both sat up, looking at each other for a moment before smiling sheepishly. 

They walked out of the small room at the back of the bus, swapping places with Ryan and Jon who had happily chatted the night away but were now very keen for naps before breakfast. As much the new couple wanted to constantly talk about how to make up for lost time, they refrained. Keeping any hint of romantic talk to hushed whispers in case Brendon heard. About an hour and a half into their drive they heard someone behind them before a hand was planted firmly on each of their shoulders. “Gooooood morning.” Brendon sung with a large smile plastered on his face. “How did you guys sleep?” He asked enthusiastically as he turned to look directly at her. Not that Spencer noticed anyway as his eyes were trained on the road.  
“Good.” She answered with a simple shrug. He kept his eyes locked with hers, clearly prying for more information that wasn’t coming. After a moment he decided that any saucy details weren’t flowing freely.   
“No, uh… no rowdy dreams?” He smirked with an eyebrow raised. Spencer let out a loud laugh.  
“What? I’m pretty sure those are your dreams, man.” He said as he shrugged Brendon’s hand off his shoulder. “That’s the exact reason I wouldn’t share with you.” He added. Brendon frowned slightly at them before walking back into the lounge. The two shared a look before a smile twitched at Spencer’s lips, forcing himself to look back at the road as a light red tinge coloured his cheeks. 

They arrived at their pit stop for the morning; a small diner just on the outskirts of the canyon area. The six of them piled out of the bus and into a booth before ordering some food, happy to be free from the confined space. Ryan and Jon both had visible bags under their eyes from being awake all night, the former wearing a pair of sunglasses to try and dull the fluorescent lights in the diner.   
“I could really go a burger… and some chips… and a strawberry milkshake…” Ryan muttered as his eyes ran over the menu.   
“For breakfast?” Brendon grimaced. “Any idea how many calories you’re consuming and it’s barely even dawn?”   
“Calories? What are those?” He replied as he leaned back in the booth, lowering his glasses again.   
“I’m gonna get some hashbrowns.” Spencer said with a definitive nod, placing his menu back into the middle of the table.  
“Same.” She agreed, following suit with her own menu.  
“Huh.” Brendon said, loud enough for people to stare at him until he eventually continued. “Same breakfast, you guys would make a great couple.” He said, trying to fight a devious smirk.   
“Don’t they say opposites attract?” She shot back, staring out the window at the passing cars. She felt Brendon kick her under the table and she turned to see his confused frown, but didn’t say any more. 

The diner was mostly empty. Being that they were in the middle of nowhere and it was only just starting to hit a reasonable hour, their breakfast was served in record time and eaten just as fast. They decided to fill the tank at a gas station nearby, which again had no other customers. Brendon was all too happy about this as it meant that they could get back on the road and stay on schedule. He took the next shift at the wheel, being the last shift before they were meant to reach their destination.   
“Would you like to keep me company?” Brendon asked bitterly, shooting her a glare as he walked towards the cab of the bus.   
“Uh, I just took a shift, but sure.” She said as she stood up from the couch, throwing her hand in from the card game they were playing. “Back soon guys.” She said back at them, eyes lingering on Spencer for a moment who smiled back warmly. He barely even gave her the time to sit down in her seat before the barrage of questions started.   
“What the hell was that?” Brendon asked, clearly agitated.   
“What was what?” She asked, trying her best to feign innocence.   
“In the diner, I set up a great moment for you and Spence there and you shut me down. Why?” He grumbled.  
“Oh, well it… it wasn’t a good time.” She said, trying to play her bad answer off as nervousness about Spencer and less about being able to think of a better excuse.   
“Did you guys not talk last night?” He asked with a sigh.  
“Not really. We slept.” She shrugged. He let out a groan.  
“You guys are the worst…” He mumbled under his breath. “Just talk to him.”   
“How, Bren? It’s not exactly an easy thing to discuss. ‘Hey, do you know I’ve been crushing on you for a few years now? Haha, fun facts, right?’ I’m pretty sure he’s not into me anyway.” She said as she looked out the passenger window. The silence hung between them for a moment and she knew he was fighting with himself over outright telling her that her opinion was wrong. He rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking back at the road.  
“Just… talk to him.” He repeated, before turning up the radio.

* * *

It wasn’t long before they arrived at the Grand Canyon, things still slightly awkward between herself and Brendon. When they climbed out of the bus she was grateful for the fresh air and change of company. The six of them stood there, staring out into the vast red landscape.   
“It’s uh… it’s very… big.” Jon said as he stared up and down the rock formation.   
“You are not wrong.” Ryan nodded, adjusting his sunglasses.   
“Spencer, didn’t you say once you used to come here a lot as a kid?” Brendon asked loudly.   
“Um… a bit, I guess.”   
“Want a tour of the canyon?” He asked, now turning to her. “I remember you saying you’ve never been and Mr Smith here is a great guide.” He added with a smile, trying to be nice but that mischievous glint in his eyes. “You’re up for giving a tour, right Spence?” His friend gave a silent shrug. She gave an anxious look to Spencer, who tried to maintain his look of indifference.   
“Sure.” She said hesitantly, walking over to him. The two of them walked off, keeping a good amount of space between them. 

They walked in comfortable silence until they were a decent distance away from the group.   
“What did Brendon wanna talk to you about?” Spencer asked as he kicked a rock into the canyon, hands shoved into his pockets to force him to keep them to himself.   
“He’s super pissy.” She chuckled. “I told him that we didn’t talk much, and that I thought you weren’t into me. I swear he nearly outright told me just out of pure frustration.”  
“I imagine he’ll pull me aside later to ask what we did on this walk… That boy…” He shook his head.  
“Isn’t he older than you?” She laughed.  
“Hey! Only by a few months. And I am definitely the more mature one.” He answered proudly. He looked over at her, smiling sweetly. “I’m glad we’re here together, this place is nice.”  
“It’s not bad. It’s lots of… rocks.” She said, looking around the barren landscape.   
“He’s right you know… I did used to come here a fair bit as a kid. We used to drive out here for family holidays; it was only about a four-hour drive. Dad would pile us in the car before sunrise and we’d be here by mid-morning. Spend the day running around and then head home once it started getting dark. It’s a beautiful place, particularly at night. One time, Brendon and I drove out at sunset and spent the night on the hood of my crappy car, talking shit.” He smiled fondly as he looked down the sharp cliff face. “I might’ve told him then that it was my ideal spot to take a girl out. Which is probably where he got his fantastic idea of where we should road trip to.”   
She looked behind them, seeing that the group were well and truly out of sight before nudging his arm with her elbow. He gave her a questioning stare, looking down to see her holding her hand out. She waved her hand slightly before he got the point, pulling his hands out of his pockets and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, making her blush. “You’re awfully sweet when you want to be, Spence.” She said as she smiled down at her feet. 

After a while of walking they decided they should head back to the group, once again keeping their distance. “Tell me some Grand Canyon facts, quick.” She said as they approached the group. CoHe was confused, but obliged.   
“You guys took a while.” Brendon shouted in a suggestive tone as they approached.   
“Did you know the bottom of the canyon is about 2 billion years old??” She asked as she walked up to him. Spencer chuckled almost silently as he walked in the other direction. Brendon looked dumbfounded. “And that it’s over 250 miles long? That’s nuts!” She said as she looked back at the landscape spread out before them. Brendon was silent for a long time before she heard him trudging off back towards the bus, making her laugh quietly.   
“What’s up with him?” Ryan asked as he wandered over, taking a drag on a cigarette. She shrugged in response. “Did you make out with Spence at the canyon? He has totally wanted to do that since he was like… fourteen.” He added nonchalantly.   
“A little.” She admitted. “But don’t tell Bren that.” He laughed loudly, but nodded.   
“Your secret is safe with me.” He said, flicking the ash on the end of his cigarette. “Glad you guys finally sorted it.” He smiled.  
“Thanks, Ry.” 

* * *

The group had a small picnic lunch at the edge of the canyon and mostly sat around talking. Brendon moped a bit, but nobody really paid him any attention so eventually he stopped. Still though as he sat he kept his eyes trained on the two people who had deliberately sat at opposite ends of the group to each other, wondering where he went wrong. They got back into the bus a little after the sunset, giving themselves the moment to watch it over the canyon before setting out on the road. Spencer offered to take the first shift, expecting her to offer as his company. And she would have if she hadn’t been interrupted midway through her sentence.  
“I’ll join ya, buddy!” Brendon said, already walking to the front. He slapped his friend on the shoulder as he walked past, leaving Spencer looking a bit confused as to what had happened. He shot her an apologetic look before moving into the driver’s seat. “How are things?” Brendon said with an overly large grin.  
“Fine.” Spencer shrugged as he started the engine.   
“Only fine?” He prodded. “You’re not having the best weekend ever because you’re trapped inside a bus and sharing a bed with the girl you’ve been into for years?” He added more quietly.   
Spencer let out a short laugh as he turned onto the road. “Well that is nice, but it’s not exactly going anywhere.”   
“What do you mean? Just make a move!” He suggested as he nudged his friend’s shoulder.  
“You know I’m bad at that. I’m pretty sure the feeling isn’t mutual anyway.” He scratched his beard anxiously, feeling the nerves building from all the questioning. He dearly hoped it just looked like normal crushing-on-someone-nervousness. Brendon stared at him for a long moment before letting out a sigh.   
“Well you’re gonna be stuck with her again tonight, so now’s gonna be your best chance.” He reminded.   
“I know, I know… I make no promises though.”   
Brendon groaned loudly in protest before muttering angrily under his breath. His ability to be nice about the situation was fast diminishing. 

Eventually Brendon went back to the lounge, deciding that it was a better chance to try and force them together again than for him to poke at Spencer. “He asked for you.” She heard him say as he flopped back onto the couch.   
“Oh?” She asked with an eyebrow raised as she met his gaze. He seemed very agitated so she figured Spencer mustn’t have said anything. She stood up and walked up to the passenger’s seat, leaning against it as she spoke. “Bren tells me you asked for me.”   
“I did no such thing.” Spencer chuckled. “But your company is certainly welcome.” He added as he patted the seat next to him.   
“Gladly.” She smiled as she took the seat. “What are we gonna do about him? He can only ask us so much before we’ll admit it.” She asked quietly.   
“He’ll crack soon. I reckon by tomorrow morning he’ll be throwing things around. That boy can’t be patient to save his life and if he thought this great road trip plan would work, he must already be feeling like he’s running out of time.” He switched stations on the radio until he found a song he liked, drumming lightly on base of the wheel in time with the song. She watched his hands for a moment before looking up to see his blue eyes looking back at her. He grinned sheepishly, looking behind them to make sure the coast was clear before leaning over and kissing her briefly. “Head back there and send Jon up. Say you want an early night or something to piss Brendon off.” He winked.   
“You’re evil.” She laughed quietly.

She walked out of the driver’s cab, Brendon’s gaze instantly flicking up to her. “I don’t know what you were talking about Bren, he said he didn’t ask for me. Jon, do you feel like taking my place? I’m beat and could go for an early night.” She said with a faked yawn. Brendon’s jaw dropped.   
“Oh yeah, no problem! Rest up. You can take the last shift back into the city if you want.” He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Ryan nodded in agreement, slipping a finger in between the pages of his book so that he could close it for a moment.   
“Yeah, rest up.” Ryan repeated with a hint of a knowing smile. Jon stood up and walked to the front of the bus and she instantly heard conversation spark between the two bearded men.   
“You uh… going to bed so early?” Brendon asked, trying to think of a way to put them back together. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to not show half of the stress he was feeling.  
“Yeah, it’s been a hell of a trip and we walked around quite a bit today. I have too many Grand Canyon facts in my brain that I need to process.” She laughed. He went to add something else but she cut him off. “G’night! See you tomorrow guys!”  
“Sleep well!” Ryan sung out, not looking up from the book in his lap.   
The plan was for her to go to bed and to wait until Spencer to joined her once his turn at the wheel had finished, but he ended up getting caught up in conversations with Jon and staying later than he originally intended, so she fell asleep. Brendon had tried to stay up to eavesdrop on them but he hadn’t made it either. Spencer walked back from the driver’s seat to see Brendon drooling on the couch. He tried his best not to laugh as he came into the room at the back of the bus, closing the door quietly behind him. He turned around to see her asleep on top of the covers, her phone half hanging out of her relaxed hand on the bed. A soft chuckle escaped his lips before he kicked his shoes off and got changed into his pjs. He pulled the covers up over the two of them before falling asleep himself. 

* * *

They woke up the next morning, already hearing voices outside in the lounge. Spencer gave a loud yawn, stretching his arms up above his head. She meanwhile was not half as happy to be awake, pressing her forearm over her eyes in the hope that things could stay dark.   
“I would’ve thought you’d be well rested given you were asleep when I came in.” He laughed.   
“Waking up is never easy.” She grumbled.   
“Well, I’ll meet you out there then.” He said as placed a quick kiss to her forehead. She felt him get up off the bed and then heard the door shut behind him. It wasn’t long after that she heard the raised voice of Brendon, though what exactly he was saying she couldn’t tell. She laughed slightly as she lowered her arm, looking out the window above to see it was still early morning. After a few deliberately waited minutes, she walked out herself. It looked like Ryan and her friend must be up the front, because Jon and Spencer were playing cards while Brendon looked angry on the other end of the couch. He didn’t even look up at her when she walked in.   
“How long until we arrive?” She asked as she rifled through the collective box of food they had formed on the floor of the lounge.   
“Not long, about four or five hours.” Jon shrugged. “Pretty sure you and Bren are on the last shift.” He added.   
“Awesome.” She said as she pulled out a muesli bar and sat on the floor. Brendon made no response, either lost in thought or too busy moping. 

Soon enough it was time for them to take their spot at the wheel, and Brendon still hadn’t spoken a word. His hands were tight around the steering wheel, his knuckles going white under the pressure. He had already adjusted the radio to a volume that wasn’t ideal for conversation, so she hadn’t tried. Instead she sat there on her phone or looking out the window. The scenery had started fading from the red rocks and turning back into something resembling home. Eventually he started pulling the bus over to the side of the road, assumedly to offer a toilet break. But much to her surprise as soon as the bus had slowed to a stop he got out of his seat and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her up with him. She let out a surprised yelp but complied and walked out into the lounge with him. He dragged her down to where Spencer was sitting on the couch, who looked at the two of them wide-eyed.   
“WILL YOU TWO FUCKING KISS ALREADY?” Brendon shouted angrily as he let go of her shoulder, half pushing her towards Spencer in the process. Silence hung in the room until he let out a frustrated groan.  
“What?” Spencer asked him with a frown.  
“You two have been into each other for ages, just get it over with for fuck sake!” He grumbled as he ran his hands up his face, pulling at his hair in slight agitation.   
“Wait… you… you knew all along?” She asked with a gasp. Ryan tried to hide a laugh under his breath. Brendon was silent for a moment.   
“Yes! Yes, I knew! But you two are too damn awkward to do anything!” He complained. She moved to sit next to Spencer on the couch, but Brendon was still too caught up in his own rage to notice.   
“You mean to tell me that you set up this trip to deliberately make us feel awkward?” Spencer asked.   
“Maybe! I don’t know! I just thought maybe you guys would finally talk.” Brendon reasoned as he started pacing around the room. Spencer wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.   
“Bren, that’s so mean! Why didn’t you just tell us?” She asked.  
“I thought it would be better for you to sort it out yourselves, or I dunno, something like that.” He let out a deep sigh as he stopped pacing abruptly, staring at the floor for quite a while. “Look, I’m sorry, I just-” He stopped short as he looked up at them. 

He remained silent for a while, trying to piece together what had transpired in the room while he had been talking. “You guys… tricked me?” He asked after a long moment.   
“Sorry, buddy. Fair’s fair.” Spencer smiled at him.   
“What the fuck?!” He shouted as he sat down on the floor before flopping onto his back and sprawling out, his hands flying to his head. He let out numerous frustrated noises before they eventually turned into laughs. “I can’t believe you two. Whose idea was it?”   
She raised her hand. “It’s not nice to force matchmaking, Brendon.” She smirked as he wiped his hands down his face, meeting her gaze.   
“How long did it take before you two spilled your guts?”   
“Five minutes into the first night.” Spencer admitted.   
Brendon laughed loudly. “Knew it…” He mumbled to nobody in particular. Silence returned to the group again until Jon cleared his throat.  
“Well, I’m happy for you guys.” He said with a warm smile. The two of them laughed before thanking him. Brendon spent a few minutes recovering until he sat up and looked at them on the couch, eventually having settled his thoughts enough to articulate words.   
“I would like to be the best man at the wedding.” 

The rest of the drive home progressed with no awkward silences, no moping Brendons and no hiding conversations under hushed whispers. Everyone was their usual happy selves and soon they arrived back at where they had started. They packed their bags and unloaded from the bus, almost sorry to see it go. Brendon tucked the keys under the front door step before walking away.   
“So… Can I take you on a date?” Spencer asked as he reached out and took her hand in his.   
“I’d love nothing more.” She grinned up at him. They walked together quietly, vaguely listening to the distant chattering of the rest of the group behind them; Ryan seemed to be doing most of the talking from what they could hear. Things seemed to be going well until the peaceful atmosphere was broken, as per usual, by Brendon.   
“RYAN, YOU FUCKING KNEW FOR A WHOLE DAY AND DIDN’T TELL ME?!”


	2. It Will Always Just Be Me - Brendon Urie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's a thing, because Pray for the Wicked and all.

She walked quickly through the maze of people, wondering why it was so difficult to find a toilet at this concert. Fall Out Boy were getting big now, but they couldn’t afford more than one block of toilets at the venue? She huffed in annoyance before finally finding what she had been looking for, and unintentionally bumping into someone else in the process.   
“Ah shit, I’m so sorry!” She exclaimed as she moved back. The boy chuckled slightly before brushing himself off. He stood a bit taller than her, with messy dark hair and deep brown eyes.  
“No stress.” He smiled down at her as someone stepped out of one of the cubicles. His eyes darted between the cubicle and her. “Uh, you can go first.” He said as he scratched the back of his neck. “You seemed in a hurry.” He added.   
“You sure?” She asked, getting a nod in response. Not waiting to ask again she ducked into the toilet, only to come out to find he wasn’t there anymore to say thanks to. She shrugged it off, walking in the direction of the bar.  
“HEY, WAIT UP!” She spun around to see him running after her out of an open cubicle. She let out a laugh before he caught up and gave a breathless smile.   
“Thanks for letting me cut in front by the way.”   
“Ah don’t worry about it. Ladies first, right?” He grinned as he finally caught his breath. “So, you like Fall Out Boy?” He asked as they began walking again. She couldn’t help but feel like he was anxious about something; his eyes darted around the venue like he was worried. Maybe he’d jumped the fence to get in?   
“Well, we are at one of their concerts.” She pointed out.  
“I’m just trying to make conversation!” He laughed as he threw his hands up in surrender. “You could’ve been dragged here by a friend.”   
“I do like them. They’re one of my favourite bands.” She confirmed with a nod.   
“Awesome!” He beamed as he skipped around so that he was now in front of her walking backwards.   
“You sure are full of energy.” She noted with an eyebrow raised.  
“I’m easily excitable, what can I say? What’s your favourite song?” He asked.  
“Probably a little less sixteen candles.”   
“Oooo, good choice. Mine would probably be sugar we’re goin’ down, for the moment anyway.” He replied with a firm nod, before belting out a few lines of the chorus. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at him in surprise; he had a hell of a voice. She was met by his curious eyes, wondering why they’d stopped walking. “What?”  
“Are you Patrick’s younger brother or something like that?” She asked as she looked him up and down, confirming that he looked nothing like Patrick. He gave a short laugh before shaking his head.   
“Not to my knowledge.”   
“You’ve got a pretty good set of pipes there.” She started walking again, watching him run a hand through his hair before they finally reached the bar.   
“So I’ve been told.” He sighed.  
“Surely you’d rock at karaoke? The crowd must go wild for you.”  
“Well… I might be finding out how they’ll react tonight.” He said with a nervous look. A bartender walked over to take their order and she bought herself a drink before looking at him.  
“Do you want something? I feel like I owe you after letting me cut and the little show there.” She smiled at him.  
“Yeah, I could really use a drink actually. Just a beer.” He answered to the bartender. They both grabbed their drinks before looking at the stage.   
“So, who are you here with?” She asked as she looked over at him.   
“Just a few friends. They’re probably probably wondering where I am actually… I should get back. Thanks for the drink!” He called as he jogged off back in the direction of the toilets. She watched as he ran away, noting how cute he was and then kicking herself for not actually asking for his name.   
The show started soon after she finished her drink and she pushed her way to the front of the crowd, securing her spot against the barrier. As much as she knew being so close was going to leave a bruise on her ribs from being shoved against the fence, she loved being so close to the band. Nothing beat the feeling of having the bass coursing through your veins, the way the lyrics were loud enough that the good ones that struck an emotional chord would make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The people around her huddled in anticipation as someone walked out onto the stage to announce the warm up act. She saw a sign drop down from the back of the stage reading “Panic! At the Disco” and four men sauntered out onto the stage looking like they had gotten lost on their way to the circus. The lead singer stood up at the microphone with a top hat tilted down hiding his face, but when he began to sing she instantly recognised the voice and her jaw dropped. No wonder he was so good, he was in a band! And a good one at that. She tried her best to absorb as much of the music as she could, making a mental note to remember their name. After a few songs he spotted her in the crowd and a grin spread across his face before he flashed her a wink. She laughed loudly at the absurdity of the situation, but felt her cheeks heat up at the attention from the man who looked even more attractive in that suit. How nervous he had seemed earlier was totally washed away when he was on stage, and his stage presence brought something entirely different to the songs. Their set ended and they thanked the crowd before welcoming Fall Out Boy. She wanted to try and find him, but she knew there would be no way she’d be able to get backstage and she wasn’t even sure if he would want to find her. She resigned herself to defeat and for this to be a day to tell her friends about later. 

* * *

A few years later she heard that Panic were coming back to town, and she couldn’t help herself, she had to buy a ticket. She wasn’t sure if she’d see him again, or if he’d even remember her, but at the very least she knew they were a good band to see live. When the day came for the concert she found herself queuing up early, vying to get a good spot at the front. She told herself it was to see the show better. The hours paid off, and she again found herself being pressed up against the barriers by the fans behind her. This time however she had another band to wait through before they would be performing. When their time came the feeling was entirely different from what it had been last time. The stage props that had previously had quite a cabaret feel were now replaced with things that seemed to have quite a hippy vibe. The mics were covered in flowers and vines, the stage had a very wooden feel, and when the band came out even their clothes reflected the mood with all of them wearing vests and looking like they’d just stepped out of the 60s. Their new songs were very different; they were a lot calmer but they were still good. About halfway through the set the lead singer was addressing the audience, asking how their night was going, before his eyes finally met hers and instantly lit up.   
“Hey!” He shouted into the mic as a grin spread across his face. Her stomach did flips realising that he had indeed remembered her and she grinned back at him. He shot her a wink before darting across to the side stage, whispering something in one of the security guards’ ears as the next song started. After a few moments the very same security guard was standing in front of her in the space between the barrier and the stage. He leaned forward to her as he slipped something into her hand.  
“Brendon wanted me to tell you to come find him after the show.” Brendon. She thought to herself. She looked down at what he had given her to see an all access pass. The show went on and their set was great, she recognised a few songs from last time and every now and again Brendon flashed her a smile. It was odd hearing them close the show on the song they had opened with previously, but it made a much better closer. As the crowd moved out of the venue she held her place at the barrier and once it was mostly empty she showed a passing guard her pass before jumping the fence. She followed where he was walking to the back corridors behind the stage, slowly coming up to a small crowd of people standing around.  
“I think in the next set we should put northern downpour back in.” A voice said.  
“It’s too slow though,” She heard a familiar voice say. “The crowd doesn’t want to hear that.”   
“I have to agree. They respond better to the more upbeat songs.” Another chimed in. She cleared her throat at the edge of the group before someone noticed her standing behind them. “Bren, you’ve got company.” A bearded man smirked with a nod in her direction. He spun around and a grin spread across his face. He had changed a bit since the last time they had met, his jawline was more defined and he had a bit of stubble decorating his chin. But he still had that messy mop of hair, which was dripping with sweat, and those amazing eyes. She felt a blush spread across her cheeks as she suddenly felt too nervous to move. Thankfully he took the initiative himself.  
“I’m so glad you came!” He shouted as he ran over and scooped her up in a hug. He held her so tightly when he picked her up and spun her around that she felt like she couldn’t breathe. “I was really worried you wouldn’t come to the show, or that I wouldn’t see you in the crowd, or that… that you uh, wouldn’t want to see me.” He admitted with an anxious laugh. “Anyway, um, this is the band!” He said trying to change the topic as he turned her around to face the other three guys he was talking with. “We have here: Ryan on guitar, Spencer on the drums and Jon on bass.” They all gave a small wave as their names were said. “It probably would’ve been Brent on bass when you saw us last though, he’s the one who got me into the band! But he wasn’t much help with anything else.”   
“He had to go.” Spencer nodded solemnly. The air hung between the group before she spoke up to try and help the situation.  
“I like the new getup you guys have going on.” She remarked as she poked at Brendon’s vest. “You really have a thing for suits, hey?” She laughed.   
“Suits are a lot most distinguished.” He answered with a smug look as he tugged on his lapels.   
“Suits are hot.” She remarked under her breath as she eyed over his getup, earning a loud laugh from him. “You weren’t meant to hear that.” She chuckled in embarrassment.   
“You should’ve seen us at the end of the last tour!” Jon said, clearly not hearing the exchange between the two of them. “We were practically a circus. We had acrobats and skits and musical numbers.”  
“Well, we are a band Jon, we’re supposed to have musical numbers.” Ryan laughed.   
“Shut up.” He frowned as he shoved Ryan’s shoulder.   
“Half an hour until the bus leaves.” A voice shouted down the hall.   
“Ah, fuck…” Brendon sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Did you want to get a quick drink? I’m pretty sure I owe you one.” He asked as he turned to face her.   
“Yeah, sure.” She smiled up at him.   
“I’ll see you guys on the bus.” He shouted as he ushered her away from the group. “Beer?” He asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.   
“Uh, sure.” She said as she felt instantly warm from the proximity of his body. She tried not to let her voice betray her, but the rapid beating of her heart was making it hard for her to keep her breathing steady. He led her through the weaving corridors until they reached the room with ‘Brendon Urie’ plastered on the door. “Urie, huh?” She questioned as he held the door open for her.   
“The one and only!” He sung out as he spun around in the room, holding his arms out to show it off. He had a small couch with a TV and a gaming console built into it, as well as a table of snacks and a fridge of beverages. He walked over to the fridge and grabbed two beers, handing her one before sitting down on the couch. They clinked their bottles together before settling into comfortable conversation. They tried to find out as much about each other as they could in the short time frame, but it turned out half an hour wasn’t much time at all when you’re having fun. Before they knew it, someone was knocking on the door, telling him that he had to go. He glanced from the door to her before shooting her an apologetic look. “Hey, here’s my number.” He said scrawling something onto the all access pass that she had been fiddling with and handing it back to her. “We should keep in touch.” He smiled as they stood up.   
“I’d like that.” She nodded. He pulled her into a tight hug before leading her out of the room.  
“BRENDON!” Someone shouted from the end of the hall.   
“I gotta go,” He said as he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, leaving her stunned as he jogged down the hallway. “Call me!” He yelled as he winked back at her. She stood there for a moment, just letting the whole day soak in. She hadn’t even been sure that she’d see him again, let alone that he’d want to stay in touch. And had he kissed her?? She absentmindedly touched her cheek, feeling how hot it had become due to her blushing. Shaking her head, she exited the venue to final head home.

* * *

They kept true to their agreement to keep in touch, and ended up talking every day. More often than not due to the time differences of touring they ended up texting rather than calling, but every now and again the stars aligned and they were actually able to speak for a while. They became close quickly with the regular communication, and found themselves as each other’s confidant and best friend. Nothing was a secret between the two of them; he was there for her when she lost her job, she was there for him when the band split up. But as much as nothing was secret per se, their love lives were never discussed. Any dates that were had were never mentioned, they never discussed who they were interested in, none of it was ever brought up. At the start they both put it down to that it would be weird to talk about, but after failed dates and relationships ending abruptly when they didn’t feel right it became a situation of not wanting to bring it up because they knew it would only end soon. At least that’s what they told themselves.   
The time passed quickly and soon enough Brendon found himself back in town touring with his new album. Before the show was even on sale she had found an envelope in her mailbox with a ticket enclosed, as well as another all access pass with scribbles already on it; Meet me after the show. It was only a few weeks until she found herself back against that all too familiar barrier forming those same bruises on her ribs. It used to just be an unfortunate part of going to a concert, but now it was part of the excitement. When the lights dimmed her heart raced. She hadn’t seen him in person in over a year, as much as they exchanged the odd photo she couldn’t help but wonder how different he looked now and how much he had changed his mannerisms. But when she saw that familiar figure saunter on to the stage oozing confidence she figured he must still be the same old Brendon. He smoothed down his suit as he walked across to the mic, eyes scanning the crowd until he met hers and grinned. In the time they’d had apart his facial features had become even more defined and his hair was a lot neater than it had been, but his eyes still lit up like he’d just been shown the secrets of the universe whenever he was on stage.   
The show had even more grandeur to it than the last times she had seen him, even despite that he had lost the themed elements and focused instead on the music. The breakup of the band had clearly hit him a little hard, because he seemed to skip over as many songs from his first two albums that he could, only sticking to the crowd favourites. His look had stuck with the suits, but had a bit more of an 1800s feel than the hippy vibe he had been giving off in the last album. Except for when he came out for the finale donned in his usual top hat and red coat, and played that signature song he opened with so many years ago. The show ended with explosions of confetti and fireworks, he obviously had a lot higher budget than what he used to, and people slowly filed out of the arena. When most of the crowd had left she hopped the fence, flashing her pass to anyone who gave her a questioning look. She rounded the corner and smacked straight into someone else, only to find it was the man himself.   
“I can’t help but feel like we’ve done this before.” She laughed as he spun around to face her. He beamed as he scooped her up in his arms and spun her around. He put her back on the ground and moved his hands up to hold the sides of her face.  
“Run away with me.” He smiled. She raised her eyebrows in confusion.  
“What?”   
“You heard me. Run away with me.” He repeated with a suddenly serious tone.  
“What, no ‘how are you’?” She laughed trying to hide how much her heart was racing.  
“We talk every day, I know how you are, which is why I offered.” He pointed out as he rested his forehead against hers. She met his gaze and instantly felt her face heat up at the concern in his eyes.   
“Why?” She asked as she let out a shuddery breath. He gave a shrug in response.  
“I think you’d be happier.” She mulled it over briefly and weighed up her options, before giving a firm nod. “Really?” He grinned. She nodded again and he let out an excited noise before crashing his lips into hers. It felt like her heart stopped for a moment, though she hardly would’ve been able to tell because as quickly as it had begun, it ended. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, I just-” She cut him off by pulling his face back to hers and kissing him back.  
“Do you have any idea how many years I’ve wanted to do that for?” She chuckled.  
“I think I might have a vague idea. C’mon, I’ll swing by your house so that you can grab some things. Are you ready to go?” He asked with a small smile as he held his hand out. A cheesy grin spread across her face.  
“I think I’m ready to leave, I’m ready to live! I’m ready to go~” She sung out, mimicking his performance earlier. He rolled his eyes with a laugh.   
“Come on you dweeb.” He said as he pulled her arm into his. She looked over his getup from the final number, he was still in his red circus outfit and had his top hat poised on his head.  
“Hey… hey, Bren…” She said as she nudged him in the ribs. He hummed in response as he looked down at her. “Please leave all overcoats, canes and top hats with the doorman.” She laughed as she stole the hat and put it on her own head.   
“Oh my god, why did I offer for you to come with me?” He huffed with a smile tugging at his lips.  
“Would you say you’re… feeling out of place and underdressed?” She added, trying not to crack up.   
“You’re wrecking this evening already.” He winked.  
“And loving every minute of it.” 

* * *

“BRENDON! What have you done to your hair?” She shouted in surprise as her hands flew to the freshly shaven sides of his head. He laughed loudly as he watched her panicked expression.   
“I just tried to neaten up a bit for the first show of the new album.” He explained.   
“Why would you do this? Your hair is great. Was great.” She pouted, continuing to hold his head. He smiled up at her and she finally let go.   
“Was going for a new look. The new album is a bit more… suave.”   
“You’re plenty suave…”  
“You know you can’t bring it back, right? You can complain all you want.” He chuckled. A knock sounded out from his dressing room door.  
“Five minutes.” A voice called from the other side. He straightened the tie of his black suit as he looked down at his disappointed girlfriend. She flopped down onto the couch, letting out a deep sigh as she fell back.  
“I guesssss I can live with it.” She mumbled.   
“You still gonna watch the show?”   
“Of course. You’re not that ugly without the sides of your hair.”   
“Hey!” He laughed as he offered out his hand to pull her back up. She took it and he swiftly hauled her up to be standing in front of him before hugging her tightly. “I love you, y’know.”   
“Yeah, yeah.” She replied as she rolled her eyes. He met her gaze with an overly sad expression until she finally caved. “Yes, I love you too. Even with your half-shaved head.” She smiled as she kissed the tip of his nose. He grinned broadly before kissing her. The first show of this tour was a home town show for him, which gave him so much more energy than his usual shows.  
“C’mon, show time!” He said excitedly as he took her hand and began walking towards the stage. The closer they got the louder the crowd became. It had been very odd being on this side of the show at first, seeing the set up and the stress that went into it all. But also, being able to see the aftermath of the adrenalin and the energy, the late nights spent hanging out after a show. Not to mention the endless bus and plane rides from venue to venue. The concerts were a different type of spectacle from what they had once been. 

The theme of the newest album wasn’t really any theme at all. Brendon still tried to carry his grandeur but the suits weren’t any particular style, there were no flowers on the mic, no circus acts. All his showmanship these days was carried in him. When they walked up to the stage Spencer was there waiting, Dallon and Kenny standing ahead of him to walk on first.   
“Hey guys.” He grinned as they approached.   
“You ready, Spence?” Brendon asked as he jumped up and down on the spot. He always had far too much energy before a show.   
“Always.” He answered as he spun his sticks in between his fingers. There was a shout from one of the event coordinators, being their cue to head on. Kenny walked out first, with Dallon closely behind, both waving to the audience happily. Spencer rolled his shoulders briefly before walking out himself and taking his place behind his kit. Brendon turned to face her, his eyes already lit up with excitement from the show.   
“Got any requests, darlin’?” He asked as he continued his jumping.  
“Calm down?” She laughed as she put a hand on his shoulder to ground him. “I love all of your songs. And they’re always a million times better live.” She answered as she kissed him quickly. “Go. Entertain.” She smiled with a light shove. He beamed happily before running out to take his place at the mic, shouting greetings to the crowd. He wasted absolutely no time launching straight into the first song. 

Things were always different watching from the sidelines; no bruises, no fans screaming right next to you, less atmosphere in general. But whenever the show ended the atmosphere was better than being at a concert, because being there for the excitement that filled the room when the band walked off stage was irreplaceable. Brendon scooped her up as soon as he walked off stage, instantly throwing her over his shoulder.   
“Do you mind?” She shouted as she slapped him in the back.   
“No.” He answered simply as he continued walking. “I thought we could go back home, order enough pizza to make my credit card company worry, I can drink my favourite scotch that I have sitting on the kitchen bench and we can celebrate how amazing the first show of the album went.”   
“That does sound like a good night, but, Bren?”   
“Mm?”   
“If you love me, you’ll let me go.” She said with a smirk. He let out a loud groan.  
“Why do you do this to me?”   
“Why do you write such quotable songs?” She retorted.   
“You are the worst.” He shouted as he put her back on her feet. “You’re gonna wreck this evening too?” He asked, getting a loud laugh from her. He tried to keep up the annoyed attitude before cracking a smile himself. “Let’s get out of here.” 

* * *

The tour passed quickly, and as the tour faded out it turned into recording new songs, which turned into a new album, which turned into another tour. It was like Brendon never stopped, but with how much energy he had she worried if he did he might explode. The concerts seemed to be getting longer and longer the more time she had known him. “You have too many hits.” She’d said to him one time while he was debating over the set list. The song he had opened with all those years ago was no longer the closer; he had finally decided to stop bowing to the pressure of the crowd and to put his current favourite as the final number instead. She had heard them all so many times though, and at this point heard him sing all the songs at times when it was just her listening to the soundchecks, that she didn’t mind. After the tour he had been called in by the label to go over some press things and sales targets, a cross country trip for him that was likely to take a few weeks. Because it was more of a working holiday rather than anything actually enjoyable, they had decided it was a good idea for her to head back to her home town for a few weeks to catch up with friends and family. Conveniently it also coincided with when Fall Out Boy were touring. She had agreed with a few friends to go to the show, lining up early for the show to get a good spot. Brendon had told her she didn’t have to line up for a good spot if she didn’t want, but he had been assured it was part of the fun of concerts. 

She sat in the queue with her two friends, feeling her phone buzzing in her pocket.   
“Hello?” She answered as she tried to block out the noise of the people around her.   
“Hey! How is queuing?” Brendon’s voice replied.   
“Bren! It’s fine, we’re fairly close to the front of the line.” She laughed. “How was your meeting?”   
“It was okay, but too many numbers. I’m gonna go back to the hotel and take a nap I think.” He said; she could picture him rubbing his eyes to try and help his headache.   
“How long until you get home?”   
“Still another two weeks I think.” He sighed. She groaned in response.  
“That’s still so long. I haven’t seen you in forever.” She complained.  
“You remember that one time we spent a few years apart before we even knew each other’s names?” He chuckled on the other end of the line.   
“And I nearly died, Brendon.” She answered dramatically.   
“Well, I’m sure you will survive this time. It’s not that long, I promise.” He reassured softly. She could hear other voices talking to him. “Sorry, I gotta go, but enjoy the show! I’ll talk to you soon.” He said as he hung up. 

The doors opened shortly after and they managed to weasel their way to the front. The feeling of being at the front of the pit had been sorely missed, as had the atmosphere of the crowd. The support act finished quickly and before long the band was out on the stage. It was kind of odd now knowing the members of the band; she had met Fall Out Boy a few times since she had run into Brendon, quite literally, at their show so many years ago. Things were slightly different when she knew the mannerisms the band showed as they performed, the looks they exchanged and the hidden jokes they shared. Their show was very different than it once was, as were they, but their props and the act as a whole was certainly something to behold. During one of their songs two giant llama suits came out and started romping around the stage. At one point they jumped down into the space between the barrier and stage and were running along high fiving the crowd, making them go nuts. However, when she held out her hand, the darker brown llama lightly whacked her on the head instead of high fiving her, before continuing along the line as if nothing happened. She rubbed her head in confusion, looking over to her friends to verify that had happened. In the end she put it down to that the band must be playing a joke on her, because when she looked up she met Patrick’s gaze and saw him chuckling. The song continued until eventually a sound cut over the mic, something that sounded like… heavy breathing? But it all became clear when the llama removed his mask, the song cutting out.  
“Pete, I know you’re my manager and all but how long do I have to wear this thing?” Brendon asked as he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Her jaw dropped as she saw him on the stage while the crowd went crazy. That BASTARD. His eyes scanned the crowd until they finally landed on hers, and he flashed her a wink.   
“Do you know him?” Her friend shouted out over the crowd. She pretended to not hear them.   
“I told you, you don’t get the contract renewal if you don’t wear it for the song.” Pete huffed into his mic. “But I guess I can let you have a break.” He added with fake reluctance.   
“Only if you sing a song!” Someone shouted from the audience.   
“A song?” Patrick asked as he turned to the crowd, slowly facing Brendon. “I suppose we can do that.” He smiled as they launched into a collaborative song between them. 

The show ended all too soon, Brendon staying on for a few songs before leaving the stage. He flashed her one last smile as he walked off, before making a hand signal of a phone. She fished her phone out of her pocket and saw a text from him telling her to meet him backstage after the show. Her friends tried to wait for her before they left, but in the end, she convinced them she would meet up with them later. Once she finally had the opportunity she weaved through the corridors backstage, following the sound of familiar voices echoing down the halls.   
“Hey!” Andy shouted as he saw her approaching.   
“Hey guys!” She replied as they turned to face her. A grin spread across Pete’s face.  
“Sorry, he made us keep it a secret.” He chuckled as he pulled her into a greeting hug.   
“Not your fault.” She shrugged as she heard footsteps approaching. She spun around to see the man himself approaching, still in the furry llama suit. “But it is yours, jerk.” She said angrily as she walked towards him.   
“I thought you’d be happy to see me!” He laughed as he held his hands up in defence, closing the distance between them.  
“Why’d you lie?” She asked as she punched him hard in the shoulder.  
“Ow? I was trying to surprise you!” He pouted. She glared hard at him before giving up and hugging him tightly.   
“You’re a dick.” She mumbled into his chest.   
“I’m sorry.” He said quietly as he kissed the top of her head. “I promise next time I want to be romantic and surprise you when I should be working, I won’t.” He said sarcastically.   
“You guys, we’re going to get burgers. You coming?” Patrick shouted. She moved back from him and saw him smiling down at her.   
“Burgers?” He offered.   
“Sure, I’ve just gotta go to the toilet real quick though. We’ll meet you there!” She called after them.   
“Me too, good thinkin’.”

They worked their way through the maze of hallways until they finally found the only toilet in the backstage area. She stopped for a moment, about to tell him to go first before he beat her to it.  
“You can go first. You seemed in a hurry.” He winked. The memories came flooding back as a laugh escaped her lips.  
“You sure?” She asked with an eyebrow raised.   
“Definitely. The best decision I’ve ever made.”


	3. Back to the Street Where We Began - Brendon Urie

He took a harsh drag of the joint, leaving the smoke sitting in his lungs for as long as he could hold it before blowing out slowly. A cough tickled the edge of his throat, threatening to spoil his composure, but he managed to avoid it. He looked over to the girl sitting next to him before a smirk spread across his lips. He held the cigarette out to her and she took it, trying to take a similarly long drag but ending up spluttering. The smoke burned the back of her throat from inhaling too quick, inexperience showing through plain as day. A laugh erupted from his lips.

“Hey, I don’t do this half as often as you!” She said, trying to regain her breath.

“All the more reason for you to stop trying to impress and just enjoy yourself. That’s the second time tonight you’ve done that.” He replied as he took it back.

“I wasn’t trying to impress.” She frowned.

“Sure.” He shrugged, sarcasm underlying his tone.

“I wasn’t!”

“Pretty certain you’re definitely trying to impress me. You’ve always been madly in love with me because I’m just _so_ irresistible.” He added as he took one last drag and snubbed the rest out.

 

A flush crept onto her cheeks at the thought that maybe he had finally worked it out, but her current state made it easier to shrug it off. She shoved his shoulder playfully, making his breath catch in his throat and the smoke come tumbling out of his mouth. He leaned forwards onto his knees, trying to control his coughs. She giggled slightly at the sight before handing him the bottle of water next to her foot. “This is your doing!” He wheezed as he took a swig of water.

“Are you sure it isn’t you being _super_ into me ever since we’ve known each other? And the physical contact just being all too much? I’m just so incredibly irresistible after all.” She mocked, trying her best to impersonate him.

“I recall it was _you_ in highschool who had a picture of me in their locker, sweetheart.” He said as he pressed the tip of his finger to her nose.

“ _You_ gave me a photo of the two of us and said ‘hang it in your locker’! And you were in a _band,_ Bren. You were in half of the schools lockers!”

“That is not how I recall things.” He tried to lie before bursting out laughing at some joke only he knew the punchline to. His laughter was always contagious to her, particularly when they were high, as had frequently been the case in high school. They spent a good while laughing before finally calming down. The familiar buzz of the weed had started to settle in for both of them. The couch suddenly felt a lot comfier than it had five minutes ago. He leaned his head against the back of the couch as they both sat crossed legged facing each other. He looked at her with half lidded eyes, a lazy smile on his lips. The drug had truly hit her at this point, and the regular feeling of warmth and slight tingling on the skin had started. Things always felt sort of different while high, sort of… better? She never got the munchies per se, but chewing felt different, food tasted better, so she typically ended up eating anyway. Music sounded better, food smelled better, she could only imagine that other senses experienced the same heightened feeling.

 

She felt the tension in the air grow, or maybe it was just the tension in her head. “Should we uh… watch a movie or something?” She asked, finally breaking the staring contest they apparently started.

“Sounds good.” He muttered as he turned back around to face the TV. She pressed play on the first movie she saw on his hard drive, more so needing something to fill the silence than to pay attention to. It wasn’t long however before Brendon felt compelled to fill the void himself. “So why _do_ you try to impress me?” He mused as he looked back at her.

“I don’t try to impress you.” She defended.

“You doooooo.” He sung. “You always used to say you liked bands you had never heard of when we first met. You used to come into my work allllllll the time, and I lost track of the amount of times you got me little gifts.” He noted. “I mean… I enjoy all of these things, but I don’t think I ever deserved your company.”

“That’s just me, I got other people gifts and stuff too.” She admitted, hoping that he would drop it. He erupted in giggles all of a sudden.

“I remember this one time, you met me after work and wanted to show me this… this one park ‘cause you really liked it.” He recited, smiling fondly. “We went and sat on the swings for ages, just talking. God, I think we were out until about 3am that night… I really wanted to hold your hand but I don’t think I did.” He added as an afterthought, losing himself in his own memory. Part of her registered everything he had said, a small voice in the back of her brain picked up on one particular part of that sentence, but more of her wanted to be snarky back.

“I think I’d remember if you did that.” She scoffed.

“Why? Because it would scar you for life?” He replied with a roll of his eyes.

“I’d definitely remember.” She reassured quietly. “A better question: why do _you_ always flirt with everyone you meet?” She asked back, jabbing him in the shoulder with her finger.

 

“I… I don’t flirt with everyone.” He answered as he scratched at the back of his neck nervously.

“You literally kissed Ryan at the show last night.”

“Yeah but that’s part of the act.”

“It still counts.”

“Well, I guess… I don’t think it does though. Because I like attention? I’m a bit of an arrogant bastard who thinks everyone should like me?” He laughed. “My real flirting is different, all the rest of it is just… part of the show that is me.” He said with a proud hand on his chest.

“What’s your _real_ flirting like then?” She asked as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Uh… are you sure you want to know?” He asked uncertainly. He couldn’t help but feel the butterflies in his stomach coming to life at the contact. Suddenly he was entirely unsure of what to do with his hands. He’d been into her for as long as he could remember, but he’d fucked up every single one of his relationships in the past and she deserved better than that. “I mean, it’s just so hard to resist, I don’t know if you’d cope.” He recovered, raising a suggestive eyebrow as he looked down at her.

“Try me.” She shot back as she looked up to meet his gaze.

“Well… I need some context. Who? How long have I known them? What are we doing?”

She thought for a moment. “A nice easy one at the start; random person you just met at the bar.” She suggested as she shuffled her head against him to better gauge his responses. He scratched the stubble forming on his chin thoughtfully.

“I’d probably not offer to buy them a drink right off the bat, that doesn’t seem to work so well these days. I’d… stand at the bar for a while, act like I was looking for my friends. Eventually order a drink but be unable to decide what I want and ask what they’re having. Compliment that it’s a good choice once I’ve taken a sip and then try and spark conversation. Once we’ve found at least… three? Roughly three, areas of common interest, go in for an arm touch and judge the reaction. Then it’s easy from there.” He finished with a wink.  

“Very well thought out.” She nodded in approval.

 

The silence briefly returned between them, the TV continuing in the background but neither really hearing it. She hummed aloud to herself as the gears in her brain turned. “All right… How about… I dunno, a colleague?”

“How close do we work together?”

She thought about this for a moment. “They started a year ago and you see them every day but don’t work together.”

“Well, obviously that’s a long-term sort of plan. Start by being where they are, when they normally go to grab coffee in the morning be there before they are, make little bits of small talk when we cross paths. Gradually start slipping cool things into conversation; ‘I had a gig on the weekend with my band.’ ‘I was voted most awesome hair in high school.’”

“You were not.”

He shushed her loudly as he wiped his whole hand down her face. “I am not done. You start by being confident, and then you gotta be honest. Or at least seemingly so. ‘Had to take my pet to the vet on the weekend.’ Doesn’t matter if it’s true, but get that sympathy ball rolling, show that you’re more than just cool and suave.”

“You are neither of those things.”

“I am _not. Done._ Once they seem to think I’m a giant softy, say something else all heart-felt and ask them out for a drink. They will of course say yes because I am so charming. Buy them a drink, and then we’re back at scenario one.” He grinned proudly.

“You have thought about all of this too much.” She laughed. The smile remained on his lips as leaned back into the couch, his eyelids drooping over his eyes.

“I am a master of getting what I want.” He chuckled.  The weed coursed through his veins, making his limbs feel heavy but comfortable. It wasn’t so much that he couldn’t move, he just didn’t want to. Though, the look she was giving him and the fact that she was still leaning against his side added to that. He wasn’t sure she’d ever quite looked at him that way before.

 

“One last one…” She all but whispered, the sinking feeling settling firmly in the pit of her stomach. Did she really want to ask..?

“Shoot, darlin’.”

She swallowed hard, meeting his dark brown eyes that stared at her fondly. The smile that crept up to the corner of his eyes nearly made her chicken out, but she pushed past the anxious feeling. “What about a long term high school crush?” She asked quietly, turning her interest back to the TV to avoid having to take in his reaction. His eyes widened for a moment as he turned to look at her. He wasn’t sure if that was a blush dusting her cheeks or if it was just the light of the TV. But either way it left her hard to read. His heart sat at the top of his throat and he had to give himself a moment to compose an answer.

“Well, I,” He cleared his throat to try and get rid of the shake in it. A part of his brain already had the plan set out and ready to go like he did for the last two scenarios. But instead of answering with a well formulated and calculatedly flirty answer, his mouth decided to do whatever it wanted. “I haven’t actually… worked that one out yet.” He admitted. She frowned at the screen in front of them, but still didn’t dare meet his steady gaze.

“What do you mean?” She asked. “You’ve asked out _so many_ people from high school?” She added, thinking back to his conquests that he had mentioned in the past.

“Yeah, but I never, uh… truthfully had any feelings for them.” He confessed, feeling his face burn up at having to admit it.

 

She let out an incredulous laugh, the movement sending shivers through him. He felt caught off guard for a moment when he didn’t understand the joke, but eventually she made herself clear.

“Why does that not surprise me?” He felt a pang of embarrassment at that. Did he really come across as that sort of guy? But before he had enough time to process that thought, she continued. “So you never had any high school crushes?” She asked. It had almost slipped her mind why she had asked this in the first place. She was too caught up in the train of thought that Brendon had apparently never liked anyone at all in high school. She wasn’t certain if that was a good thing or a bad thing for her own chances.

“No, I-I did.” He nodded, running a hand through his thick hair. She expected him to continue but he let the silence hang in the air between them.

“If you had crushes on people, and you dated people, how can you not have had the chance to properly flirt with a high school crush?” She asked. Her brain seemed to be struggling to keep up at the pace it normally would. Any and all over thinking and hypothesising had gone out the window.

“I was too nervous to ever flirt with the girl I had feelings for, so I dated other people instead.” Brendon desperately hoped that maybe the couch would just open up and swallow him whole. This is not how he wanted things to go. Over the years he had thought of many potential ways to confess his feelings, not a single one involving him being under the influence and not able to string a full thought together. He had hoped to do some grand gesture one day when he was maybe 100 and had worked out how to get over his fears of rejection and losing people that he cared about. He took a large gulp of the beer on the coffee table, trying to push aside his irrational worries. A little flicker of hope burned in her chest. He had dated a fair amount of people from their high school classes, that didn’t exactly leave many people left for him to have crushed on.

 

It might have been the drug, but something gave her a burst of confidence. Maybe she could ask a few more questions to try and work out who it was he had a crush on.

“So, how _would_ you do it then? Like, hypothetically if you had to now.” She shrugged, trying her best to sound casual.

He caught himself on the beer going down his throat, nearly spluttering the mouthful over the coffee table. “Like… how would I flirt with them these days?” He asked eventually after a few coughs. She nodded in response, still fixated on the movie in front of them. He considered this for a moment. How was he meant to answer that? Did he just make something up? Her mind began to wander before his voice dragged it back. “Well, in this… hypothetical, do I still know her-them?” His voice wavered slightly with his erratic pulse.

“Yeah,” She laughed under her breath, “let’s say you’re still pretty good friends.”

He drummed the back of the couch with his fingers, thinking carefully about his next words. “Knowing me, nothing would’ve happened so far. So there’s nothing to jump off of to lead into the flirting.” He started. “But, uh, I would probably drop a few select sentences into conversation. See how she reacts to them. I’d bring up a few particular topics in conversations over the years and try to work out where I might stand with her.” She could feel his gaze burning into the side of her head. “It’s probably most likely that – that I’ll be a total wuss and never do anything about my feelings. I’ll be too scared to ruin a good thing. So I’ll invite her round every other week with the intention of telling her and never do it.” His voice dropped at the end. He wanted nothing more than to be able to look into her eyes and try to work out if she understood what he was saying, but she still intently watched the TV. She watched it with so much interest that he was worried his words might be falling on deaf ears. “I’d probably ask her to come round one Friday night to get stoned and watch a movie with me in the hopes that maybe it will feel like high school again. And maybe I can pretend I didn’t spend far too many years not doing anything about how I felt.” His breath hitched in his throat. He was pretty confident he could not have made it any more clear without opening shouting from the rooftops that he had wanted to date her since they met in maths class eight years ago.

 

Unbeknownst to him, she had not been paying attention to the TV at all. She had been listening to his words with her full attention and refused to look at him so that he wouldn’t see the blush furiously spreading across her cheeks. The weed in her system slowed her usually rapid mind. Normally this worked in her favour while she was high, because it was easier to calm down. But right now she wanted nothing more than to overthink the situation in 30 seconds and work out how to best respond to his confession that he was into her. That her feelings were mutual. One thought settled in her mind and then refused to dislodge itself. The thought that she should do what she’s wanted to do for years and kiss the man beside her. She sat up slightly, shuffling away from his shoulder and turning to look at him. His gaze looked entirely worried, but something sat there underneath his tension. Something… tender? Something in her pushed her towards the confidence boost she needed, it gave her that boost and then shoved her right onto the other side as her lips crashed into his without another thought. He made a muffled noise of surprise before melting into the touch and kissing her back. It took a few seconds for their brains to register what was happening, but when they did they both felt like their nerves were on fire. It was a fierce enough sensation that they both pulled back for a moment, staring at each other with their pupils blown and chests heaving.

 

Questions still sat at the edge of her mind that she spewed out before she could consider them. “Y-you… so it’s me, right?” She asked, trying to keep her tone steady.

He laughed loudly. “Yes, it’s you.” He confirmed as he tackled her into a hug, knocking her back onto the couch with a thud. “I never assumed that you actually _were_ madly in love with me due to my tantalizing nature and undying charm. You said you weren’t trying to impress me, you liar.” His teasing words sounded a lot more loving when he was lying over her with his forehead pressed to hers. The smile playing on his lips and the sparkle cast in his eyes from the light of the TV – or maybe cast by his apparent amusement – made him look even more attractive than he usually was. How he hadn’t spontaneously combusted under the pressure of his good looks was a mystery to her.

“Of course I was trying to impress you, you were the hottest guy in school and for whatever reason you decided you wanted to be friends with me. I felt like I had to make sure I was worth your time.” She scoffed, trying not to lose her voice at the intense atmosphere surrounding them.

“You’re always worth my time.” He mumbled as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, slowly starting to trail them down the side of her jaw. The feeling sent a shiver down her spine. She had been right in her suspicions of things feeling better under the influence. What might have felt nice under other circumstances felt like potentially the best experience of her life in this one. His lips trailing across her skin left goosebumps along her arms and made the hair on the back of her neck standing on end.

 

“So…” He breathed against her neck, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. “What do we do now?” She had no clue where this confidence was coming from (probably the joint that Brendon had given her however long ago that he had described as “the _really_ good shit”) but she was compelled to pick up the flirtatious sword Brendon normally swung.

“We could, ah… make up for lost time?” She suggested. Instantly she felt like she shouldn’t have said it. Thankfully her worries were quelled as quickly as they had risen by the grin that spread across his face. He pressed his lips to hers softly.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea to me, darlin’.”


End file.
